PROTESTERS have surrounded the home of a man filmed spitting on his black neighbor and calling him the n-word.
Edward Cagney Mathews, 45, was arrested on Monday after footage showed him daring an onlooker to "come f****** see me…bring whoever."
More than 100 demonstrators then gathered outside of his Mount Laurel, New Jersey, home for several hours after footage of the incident went viral.
In the clip taken on Friday a man – identified as Mathews – can be heard telling his black neighbor: "Learn your laws.
"This is not Africa or wherever the f*** you were."
He repeatedly uses the n-word, the clip shows.
The neighbor replies: "I was born in America and I don’t give a s*** about you."
Mathews continues to hurl abuse after police arrive.
He told protesters in a second video: "Now, what I did was not acceptable. It’s completely wrong."
He added to Philadelphia’s NBC10: "I’ve never been a racist.
"I’ve made mistakes, said racial slurs out of anger or being drunk. I may not be able to relate to communities of color but I am not a racist and I have the upmost respect for us as a community."
But neighbor Aliya Robinson told Fox 29: “The guy is off his rocker and they need to get him out.
"He cannot be racially harassing and assaulting people, spitting on people, busting down doors, breaking windows and writing ‘White lives matter’ on stuff."
She added: "He said to pull up. We pulled up. We’re not going to tolerate this anymore."
Footage shows protesters threw food and water bottles at Mathews.
The Mount Laurel Police Department said it "does not tolerate hate or bias intimidation in any form."
They said in a statement: "We can assure our residents that incidents like this are thoroughly investigated and that those who commit such offenses will be held accountable for their actions."
Mount Laurel’s mayor said: "To say that we are appalled by the disturbing and vicious act of hate which was caught on camera would be an understatement.
"This man’s actions do not reflect who we are as a community nor our values.
"Nobody should be made to feel unsafe or unwelcome in their own neighborhood let alone in their hometown…this is not who we are and what our township stands for."
Police officers stood at the door of Mathews home while protesters gathered outside on Monday.
When police moved to arrest Mathews around 7:30 p.m., footage posted by a reporter shows protesters throwing objects towards officers and Mathews as they walk to a police car and then at the car as it drove away.
In a statement posted online Monday morning, the Mount Laurel police department said Mathews was charged with harassment and biased intimidation but was initially issued a summons and was not arrested.
On Monday evening, prosecutors said at a press conference that they were bringing new charges against Mathews based on additional video footage, but did not say what the new charges were.
An email to the Burlington County prosecutor seeking additional information was not immediately returned.
Police say they are investigating other incidents involving Mathews. It was not immediately clear if Mathews has an attorney to represent him.
Source: Read Full Article
